1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for packaging bicycle locks and bicycle cables together in numerous different combinations for sale in unitary sets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, bicycle cables are sometimes packaged for sale in cable packages formed of a transparent, semi-rigid plastic sheet defining a bubble positioned atop some form of stiff backing. The backing may be formed of cardboard, or alternatively of another sheet of the same plastic. A plastic backing may either be flat or correspondingly configured with bubbles. In either manner of construction, the bubble configuration of the bicycle cable packaging is of a size and shape adapted to receive a coiled bicycle cable. Conventional stranded wire bicycle cables are conventionally packaged in looped circular turns which form a coil. Many different commercially available types and sizes of bicycle cables are coiled and packaged in bubble packaging of the type described.
Bicycle locks are frequently sold in bicycle lock packages. Such bicycle lock packages also frequently employ a sheet of transparent, semi-rigid plastic deformed to form a central bubble and are attached about the periphery to a cardboard backing. A bicycle lock is visible through the plastic bubble and is encapsulated between the bubble and a cardboard or plastic backing.
Bicycle cables and locks are sometimes packaged and sold together in sets within bubble packaging of the type described. Retail merchants who sell bicycles and bicycle accessories generally prefer to offer bicycle cables and locks for sale as sets, as the packaging of bicycle cables and locks together frequently maximizes revenue from the sale of such merchandise. However, there is a significant difficulty in packaging bicycle cables and locks together due to the considerable variety in models, styles, types, colors and materials of bicycle cables and locks. If bicycle cables and locks are packaged together, a very substantial inventory of such sets must be maintained on hand to provide customers with the particular cable-lock combinations which they desire.
The high investment in inventory which must be maintained on hand to provide customers with their choices of specific combinations of bicycle cables and locks when these devices are sold as sets, is evident from the fact that bicycle cables are conventionally offered for sale in 6 foot lengths having alternative plastic sheathed, stranded steel diameters of 1/4 inch, 5/16 inches and 7/16 inches. Furthermore, each of the foregoing diameters of bicycle cables are also conventionally offered for sale in 7 foot lengths as well. Moreover, each type of cable is typically offered for sale sheathed in red, blue, black and silver plastic.
Numerous different models of bicycle locks are likewise sold throughout the bicycle industry. For example, a retail bicycle shop must typically be prepared to provide customers with steel laminated padlocks having shackles of 40, 45, 48 and 50 millimeters. Retailers must also be prepared to offer combination locks of the same shackle sizes of both the dial type, resettable type and push-button type. Furthermore, brass locks are frequently sold with shackles of both 40 millimeters and 50 millimeters. Other speciality type bicycle locks are also commercially available.
With the numerous different sizes, styles, colors and materials in which bicycle cables and locks are sold commercially, it is inordinately expensive for most bicycle merchants to maintain in stock any significant variety of sets of bicycle cables and locks packaged together. As a consequence, merchants are typically forced to incur the high cost of maintaining a sufficiennt inventory in order to enjoy the profitability of selling cables and locks together as a unit.